Devices including a gas barrier layer

ABSTRACT

Devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof or combinations thereof.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/838,396 entitled, GAS BARRIER LAYER FOR HAMR HEAD, filed on Jun. 24, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference thereto.

SUMMARY

Disclosed are devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (Hf), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (AlN), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof; or combinations thereof.

Also disclosed are devices that include a near field transducer (NFT); an adhesion layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the adhesion layer; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (Hf), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof; silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof; or combinations thereof.

Also disclosed are devices that include a magnetic write pole; a near field transducer (NFT) positioned adjacent the magnetic write pole; a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT and the magnetic write pole; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer includes tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (Hf), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof; silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof; or combinations thereof.

The above summary of the present disclosure is not intended to describe each disclosed embodiment or every implementation of the present disclosure. The description that follows more particularly exemplifies illustrative embodiments. In several places throughout the application, guidance is provided through lists of examples, which examples can be used in various combinations. In each instance, the recited list serves only as a representative group and should not be interpreted as an exclusive list.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a magnetic disc drive that can include HAMR devices.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a perpendicular HAMR magnetic recording head and of an associated recording medium.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are cross sectional views of devices that include disclosed gas barrier layers.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross sectional views of devices that include disclosed bilayer gas barrier layers.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of illustrative magnetic write poles having various layers formed thereon after annealing.

FIGS. 6A to 6E are SEM images of illustrative magnetic write poles having various layers formed thereon after annealing.

The figures are not necessarily to scale. Like numbers used in the figures refer to like components. However, it will be understood that the use of a number to refer to a component in a given figure is not intended to limit the component in another figure labeled with the same number.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Heat assisted magnetic recording (referred to through as HAMR) utilizes radiation, for example from a laser, to heat media to a temperature above its curie temperature, enabling magnetic recording. In order to deliver the radiation, e.g., a laser beam, to a small area (on the order of 20 to 50 nm for example) of the medium, a NFT is utilized. During a magnetic recording operation, the NFT absorbs energy from a laser and focuses it to a very small area; this can cause the temperature of the NFT to increase. The temperature of the NFT can be elevated up to about 400° C. or more.

The high temperatures that the NFT and surrounding structures reach during operation can lead to oxidation, corrosion, or both of the write pole. In addition, the high temperatures can cause adhesion layers over the peg to oxidize, which can lead to the peg separated from surrounding structures, including the overcoat layer disposed thereon. Ultimately, these processes can lead to peg deformation and recession, pole oxidation, pole protrusion, and damage of the overcoat layer for example. All of these effects can also reduce the magnetic field delivered to the media thereby affecting writing to the media.

Disclosed devices include one or more gas barrier layers adjacent to a wear resistant layer over at least a peg region of a NFT of a magnetic head. The gas barrier layer may function to improve gas barrier properties of the overall structure over the head. The gas barrier layer can be considered part of an overcoat structure or can be considered a separate layer or structure that functions cooperatively with the overcoat structure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of disc drive 10 including an actuation system for positioning slider 12 over track 14 of magnetic medium 16. The particular configuration of disc drive 10 is shown for ease of description and is not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Disc drive 10 includes voice coil motor 18 arranged to rotate actuator arm 20 on a spindle around axis 22. Load beam 24 is connected to actuator arm 20 at head mounting block 26. Suspension 28 is connected to an end of load beam 24 and slider 12 is attached to suspension 28. Magnetic medium 16 rotates around an axis 30, so that the windage is encountered by slider 12 to keep it aloft a small distance above the surface of magnetic medium 16. Each track 14 of magnetic medium 16 is formatted with an array of data storage cells for storing data. Slider 12 carries a magnetic device or transducer (not shown in FIG. 1) for reading and/or writing data on tracks 14 of magnetic medium 16. The magnetic transducer utilizes additional electromagnetic energy to heat the surface of medium 16 to facilitate recording by a process termed heat assisted magnetic recording (HAMR).

A HAMR transducer includes a magnetic writer for generating a magnetic field to write to a magnetic medium (e.g. magnetic medium 16) and an optical device to heat a portion of the magnetic medium proximate to the write field. FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of a portion of a magnetic device, for example a HAMR magnetic device 40 and a portion of associated magnetic storage medium 42. HAMR magnetic device 40 includes write pole 44 and return pole 46 coupled by pedestal 48. Coil 50 comprising conductors 52 and 54 encircles the pedestal and is supported by an insulator 56. As shown, magnetic storage medium 42 is a perpendicular magnetic medium comprising magnetically hard storage layer 62 and soft magnetic underlayer 64 but can be other forms of media, such as patterned media. A current in the coil induces a magnetic field in the pedestal and the poles. Magnetic flux 58 exits the recording head at air bearing surface (ABS) 60 and is used to change the magnetization of portions of magnetically hard layer 62 of storage medium 42 enclosed within region 58. Near field transducer 66 is positioned adjacent the write pole 44 proximate air bearing surface 60. Near field transducer 66 is coupled to waveguide 68 that receives an electromagnetic wave from an energy source such as a laser. An electric field at the end of near field transducer 66 is used to heat a portion 69 of magnetically hard layer 62 to lower the coercivity so that the magnetic field from the write pole can affect the magnetization of the storage medium. As can be seen in FIG. 2, a portion of the near field transducer is positioned at the ABS 60 of the device.

Devices disclosed herein can also include other structures. Devices disclosed herein can be incorporated into larger devices. For example, sliders can include devices as disclosed herein. Exemplary sliders can include a slider body that has a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an air bearing surface. The write pole, read pole, optical near field transducer and contact pad (and optional heat sink) can then be located on (or in) the slider body. Such exemplary sliders can be attached to a suspension which can be incorporated into a disc drive for example. It should also be noted that disclosed devices can be utilized in systems other than disc drives such as that depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A illustrates a cross section of an illustrative device 300. The device 300 includes a substrate 301, a gas barrier layer 302 and a wear resistance layer 303. The gas barrier layer 302 is positioned between the substrate 301 and the wear resistance layer 303. The substrate 301 can include or be a NFT or a portion thereof. In some embodiments, the substrate 301 can include a portion of a NFT at the ABS of a larger structure or device. It should be noted that the gas barrier layer 302 and the wear resistance layer 303 can cover more than just a NFT or a portion of a NFT.

In some embodiments, a NFT can be made of a plasmonic material. Illustrative NFT materials can include plasmonic materials such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), iridium (Ir), or alloys thereof; thermally conductive oxides, and indium tin oxide (ITO). In some embodiments, illustrative NFT materials can also include those disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0286799, U.S. Pat. No. 8,427,925, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/923,925 entitled MAGNETIC DEVICES INCLUDING FILM STRUCTURES, filed on Jun. 21, 2013, and Ser. No. 14/062,651 entitled RECORDING HEADS INCLUDING NFT AND HEATSINK, filed on Oct. 24, 2013, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

In some embodiments a wear resistance layer can function to protect the underlying structures and provide wear resistance to the material making up the underlying structure (or structures). Wear resistant layers can have various thicknesses. In some embodiments, wear resistant layers can have thicknesses of not less than 0.2 nanometers (nm), or in some embodiments not less than 0.5 nm. In some embodiments, wear resistant layers can have thickness of not greater than 20 nm, or in some embodiments not greater than 5 nm.

Illustrative types of materials that can be utilized in disclosed wear resistance layers can include, for example carbon containing materials, magnetic materials, molecular materials, and oxides such as tantalum oxide.

In some embodiments, the wear resistant layer can include a carbon containing material. Illustrative carbon containing materials includes, for example diamond like carbon (DLC), amorphous carbon, carbon nitride, metal containing amorphous carbon, tetrahedral amorphous carbon, hydrogen containing amorphous carbon (a-C:H), or combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the wear resistant layer can include magnetic materials. One class of magnetic materials that can be utilized in wear resistance layers can includes mixtures of ferromagnetic materials and insulating materials. There are two subclasses of such materials mixtures of ferromagnetic materials and oxides and mixtures of ferromagnetic materials and de-coupled grains. Specific types of mixtures of ferromagnetic materials and oxides can include, for example, cobalt (Co) doped titanium oxide (TiO), and iron cobalt (FeCo) doped yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃). Specific types of mixtures of ferromagnetic materials and de-coupled grains can include, for example, cobalt platinum (CoPt) doped carbon (C), silicon dioxide (SiO₂), and alumina (Al₂O₃).

Another class of magnetic materials that can be utilized as wear resistant layers can include semiconductors doped with magnetic materials. Specific types of such materials can include, for example, cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), or chromium (Cr) doped titanium oxide (TiO_(x)); Co or manganese (Mn) doped zinc oxide (ZnO); Fe or Mn doped tin oxide (SnO_(x)); Fe or Mn doped indium oxide (In₂O₃), chromium oxide (CrO₂), or europium oxide (EuO); and magnetic nitrides such as chromium aluminum nitride (CrAlN), gallium chromium nitride (GaCrN), gallium vanadium nitride (GaVN), and indium vanadium nitride (InVN). In some embodiments, materials of this class that could be used could have relatively high coercivity in order to be magnetically hard.

Another class of magnetic materials that can be utilized as wear resistant layers can include ferrites. Specific types of such materials can include, for example, barium ferrites (BaFe_(x)O_(y)) such as BaFe₁₂O₁₉, strontium ferrites (SrFe_(x)O_(y)), and cobalt ferrites (CoFe_(x)O_(y)). In some embodiments, strontium ferrites (SrFe_(x)O_(y)) can be utilized in overcoats as disclosed herein.

Another class of magnetic materials that can be utilized as wear resistant layers can include two phase materials. Two phase materials can include, for example, ferromagnet/insulator materials or paramagnet/insulator materials. Specific types of such materials can include, for example, cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) or their alloys dispersed in an alumina (Al₂O₃), silica (SiO₂), or carbon (C) matrix.

Another class of magnetic materials that can be utilized as wear resistant layers can include atomic level bilayers or multilayers. The bilayers or multilayers can include both ferromagnet material/insulator material and paramagnet material/insulator material. Specific types of such materials can include, for example, atomic level bilayers or multilayers of cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), or nickel (Ni) with alumina (Al₂O₃), silica (SiO₂) or carbon (C). Graded layers can also be utilized as wear resistant layers. Specific types of such materials can include, for example, graded layers of cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), or nickel (Ni) with alumina (Al₂O₃), silica (SiO₂) or carbon (C).

Partially oxidized ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic materials are magnetic materials that can also be utilized in wear resistant layers. Specific types of such materials can include, for example, FeCoO, and Fe_(x)O_(y) In some embodiments, materials of this class that could that would be used would have relatively high Curie temperature (Tc) in order to be magnetically hard.

Another class of magnetic materials that can be utilized as overcoats includes exotic materials. Specific types of such materials can include, for example, manganese (Mn) doped indium antimony (InSb), and cobalt (Co) doped titanium antimony (TiSb). In some embodiments, materials of this class that could that would be used would have relatively high Curie temperature (Tc), for example at least about 400° C.

Wear resistant layers including magnetic materials can also be formed by deposition of a metal layer (via chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer deposition for example) followed by oxidation in order to produce a ferromagnetic/ferrimagnetic oxide. Types of oxidation that can be utilized herein can include, for example, natural oxidation, radical shower oxidation, ultraviolet (UV) light assisted oxidation, ion beam oxidation, or oxygen plasma oxidation. In some embodiments where an atomic layer deposition process is utilized, a stoichiometric oxide can be formed using a precursor, which can provide a metal cation, and another precursor, which provides an oxygen anion. Specific materials that can be utilized herein can include, for example, BaFe₁₂O₁₉, CrO₂, γ-Fe₂O₃, CoFe₂O₄ and Fe₃O₄. Multilayers or composites including such materials can be utilized. In addition, Fe, Co or Ni may be added to the multilayers or composites in order to affect the magnetic properties of the overcoat material. Ferromagnetic epitaxial growth layers may also be used to obtain a desired oxide phase, while still maintaining magnetic exchange to the underlying head or media layer. A carbon layer may also be modified to make it more magnetically permeable by the addition of Fe, Co, Ni, or a combination thereof for example.

In some embodiments, wear resistant layers can also include molecular materials. Molecular materials include molecules as opposed to atoms (i.e., carbon atoms as in diamond like carbon (DLC)). Molecules are most generally described as electrically neutral groups of atoms that are held together by covalent bonds. In some embodiments, disclosed molecular wear resistant layers can include carbon-nitrogen bonds. In some embodiments, disclosed molecular wear resistant layers can include polymers that include carbon-nitrogen bonds. Illustrative polymers can include, polyimides, polyamides, polyamideimides, polybenzimidazoles, polyetherimides, polyurethanes, polyetherketones, polyetheretherketones, and polytestrafluorethylenes, for example. In some embodiments, polyamides or polyimides can be utilized in molecular wear resistant layers. Polyimides, as a group, are known to have excellent thermal stability, i.e., greater than 400° C. Polyimides can be utilized in wear resistant layers in three different ways, by depositing the polymer, by depositing an intermediate of a polyimide, or by depositing starting materials of a polyimide or an intermediate. One method of forming a polyimide is the reaction of a dianhydride and a diamine. Illustrative dianhdyrides that have desirable vapor pressures can include, for example pyromellitic dianhydride, cyclobutane-tetracarboxylic dianhydride, cyclopentane-tetracarboxylic dianhydride, bis(dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride, ethylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride, trimellitic anhydride, tetrafluorophthalic anhydride, and phthalic anhydride. Ethylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride may have drawbacks in manufacturing processes because of its relative instability. Compounds like trimellitic anhydride, tetrafluorophthalic anhydride and phthalic anhydride may be useful in situations where the polymer is desired to be limited to a trimer. Illustrative diamines that have desirable vapor pressures can include, for example ortho-, meta-, or para-phenylene diamine, ortho-, meta-, or para-xylene diamine, oxydiphenylene diamine, aminobenzylamines, bis(trifluoromethyl) biphenyldiamine, tetrafluoro phenylene diamine, and bis(aminomethyl)-cyclohexanes. A particularly illustrative polyimide is KAPTON® from DuPont.

In some embodiments, wear resistant layers can also include oxides, such as tantalum oxide for example. The formula of tantalum oxide or tantalum oxides can be given as Ta_(y)O_(x) with x and y being a number (integer or otherwise). In some embodiments, y can range from 1 or 2; and x can be range from 2 to 5. In some embodiments, y can be 1 or 2; and x can be an integer from 2 to 5. Tantalum oxide exists in various forms, depending on the oxidation state of the tantalum. Tantalum oxide can be described as being tantalum rich (x is higher than y, i.e., fractionally higher) or oxygen rich (y is higher than x, i.e., fractionally higher). Tantalum oxide can also exist as Ta₂O₅, TaO₂, Ta₂O₃, or combinations thereof. The phrase “tantalum oxide”, when used herein can refer to a single form of tantalum oxide or multiple forms of tantalum oxide. Ta₂O₅ can be referred to as tantalum pentoxide, tantalum (V) oxide, or ditantalum pentoxide. TaO₂ can be referred to as tantalum dioxide, or tantalum (IV) oxide. Ta₂O₃ can be referred to as ditantalum trioxide, or a suboxide of tantalum. Disclosed wear resistant layers can also include tantalum in addition to one or more forms of tantalum oxide.

Disclosed devices also include gas barrier layers. Gas barrier layers can function to diminish the amount or entirely prevent gases from reaching or contacting layers or structures located below the gas barrier layer. In some embodiments, a gas barrier layer can function to diminish the amount or entirely prevent gases from reaching the write pole, the heat skin, the magnetic reader, the NFT (e.g., the peg, disc, or both), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, a gas barrier layer can function to diminish the amount or entirely prevent gases from reaching the write pole, the NFT (e.g., the peg, disc or both), or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, a gas barrier layer can function to diminish the amount or entirely prevent gases from reaching the write pole and the peg of the NFT.

Gas barrier layers can have various thicknesses. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can have thicknesses of not less than 0.5 nm, or in some embodiments not less than 1 nm. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can have thickness of not greater than 20 nm, or in some embodiments not greater than 10 nm.

In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include oxides, nitrides, or carbides for example. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include diamond like carbon (DLC) or nanocomposite DLC for example. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include oxides such as tantalum oxide (TaO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), niobioum oxide (Nb), hafnium oxide (HfO), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or some combination thereof. Illustrative combinations of such oxides can include, for example aluminum silicon oxide (AlSiO), chromium aluminum oxide (CrAlO), chromium silicon oxide (CrSiO), titanium silicon oxide (TiSiO), niobium silicon oxide (NbSiO), hafnium silicon oxide (HfSiO), and tantalum silicon oxide (TaSiO). It should be noted that oxides can include any stoichiometry including the particular noted element and oxygen. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include nitrides such as silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (AlN), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof. Illustrative combinations of nitrides can include, for example titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN), titanium niobium nitride (TiNbN), aluminum chromium nitride (AlCrN), aluminum silicon nitride (AlSiN), chromium silicon nitride (CrSiN), aluminum chromium silicon nitride (AlCrSiN), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include carbides such as silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, mixtures of oxides and nitrides (for example) can be utilized. Illustrative examples of such materials include silicon oxy nitride (SiON), aluminum oxy nitride (AlON), titanium oxy nitride (TiON), zirconium oxy nitride (ZrON), chromium oxy nitride (CrON), niobioum oxy nitride (NbON), hafnium oxy nitride (HfON), or combinations thereof, for example. An example of a combination oxy nitride can include, for example silicon aluminum oxy nitride (SiAlON). In some embodiments, mixtures of carbides and nitrides (for example) can be utilized. Illustrative examples of such materials include carbon silicon nitride (CSiN), for example. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include diamond like carbon (DLC). In some embodiments, the DLC could contain other elements such as silicon (Si), nitrogen (N), boron (B), or other metallic elements. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CrO, SiAlO, CrSiO, CrAlO, TaSiO, or SiON for example. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include DLC. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can include SiO₂, SiON, or Al₂O₃, for example.

The gas barrier layer is preferred to have low refractive index and low optical absorption to improve NFT near field efficiency. To reduce the refractive index, gas barrier layer can be a mixing layer including oxides with high (TiO, TaO, HfO, NbO, CrO) and low refractive index (SiO, AlO, MgO, BeO) or a multilayer with alternative high (TiO, TaO, HfO, NbO, CrO) and low refractive index (SiO, AlO, MgO, BeO, InO, SnO, ITO).

In some embodiments, gas barrier layers including oxides can be made by depositing a metal layer and then oxidizing the metal layer. Illustrative metals can include tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), silicon (Si), zirconium (Zr), yttrium (Y), magnesium (Mg), beryllium (Be), niobium (Nb), hafnium (Hf), aluminum (Al), and combinations thereof for example. Oxidation of the metal layer can be accomplished using various processes, including thermal oxidation, and plasma oxidation processes, for example. The oxidation process effectively adds oxygen atoms into the metallic layer, which can cause expansion of the metal lattice. Expansion of the metal lattice can reduce the defect density of the metal layer (e.g., vacancies, grain boundaries, dislocations, and pin holes) or a gas barrier layer formed thereby. Such effects could serve to increase corrosion resistance of the overall device.

Gas barrier layers formed by depositing a metal followed by oxidation can have various thicknesses. In some embodiments, such layers can have a thickness that is at least 0.5 nm, or in some embodiment at least 1 nm. In some embodiments, such layers can have a thickness that is not greater than 5 nm, or in some embodiments not greater than 2 nm.

In some embodiments, gas barrier layers including oxides can also be formed by sputtering (for example) from an oxide target. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can be formed by sputtering (for example) from an oxide target in an oxygen rich environment. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers can be formed by sputtering a metal and subsequently oxidizing or at least partially oxidizing the deposited metal. In some embodiments, gas barrier layers including oxides can also be formed using atomic layer deposition (ALD) for example.

FIG. 3B depicts another illustrative device 310 that includes a substrate 301, a gas barrier layer 302 and a wear resistant layer 303, configured as described in FIG. 3A. The device 310 also includes an optional substrate adhesion layer 304. The optional substrate adhesion layer 304 can be positioned between the substrate 301 and the gas barrier layer 302. The optional substrate adhesion layer 304 can function to improve the adhesion between the gas barrier layer 302 and the substrate 301. Properties of the substrate adhesion layer 304 can depend, at least in part, on the materials of the overlying gas barrier layer 302 and the underlying substrate 301.

FIG. 3C depicts another illustrative device 320 that includes a substrate 301, a gas barrier layer 302 and a wear resistant layer 303, configured as described in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The device 320 may also include an optional substrate adhesion layer 304. The device 320 may also include an optional wear resistant adhesion layer 305. It should be noted that the optional wear resistant adhesion layer 305 can be included in a device without the optional substrate adhesion layer 304, even though that particular configuration is not specifically depicted herein. The optional wear resistant adhesion layer 305 can be positioned between the wear resistant layer 303 and the gas barrier layer 302. The optional wear resistant adhesion layer 305 can function to improve the adhesion between the gas barrier layer 302 and the wear resistant layer 305. Properties of the wear resistant adhesion layer 305 can depend, at least in part, on the materials of the underlying gas barrier layer 302 and the overlying wear resistant layer 303.

Optional adhesion layers (e.g., substrate adhesion layers, wear resistant adhesion layers, or both) can have various thicknesses. In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers can have thicknesses of not less than 0.1 nm, or in some embodiments not less than 0.5 nm. In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers can have thickness of not greater than 10 nm, or in some embodiments not greater than 3 nm.

In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers (e.g., substrate adhesion layers, wear resistant adhesion layers, or both) can include metals, oxides, nitrides, or carbides for example. In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers can include metals such as platinum (Pt), indium (In), chromium (Cr), tin (Sn), yttrium (Y), tantalum (Ta), iridium (Ir), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), niobium (Nb), palladium (Pd), nickel (Ni), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers can include oxides such as tantalum oxide (TaO), aluminum oxide (AlO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), indium oxide (InO), tin oxide (SnO), or combinations thereof. An example of a combination thereof includes indium tin oxide (ITO). It should be noted that oxides can include any stoichiometry including the particular noted element and oxygen. In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers can include nitrides such as titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), chromium nitride (CrN), silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (AlN), boron nitride (BN), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers can include carbides such as titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), chromium carbide (CrC), silicon carbide (SiC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, mixtures of oxides and nitrides (for example) can be utilized. Illustrative examples of such materials include silicon oxy nitride (SiON), chromium oxy nitride (CrON), titanium oxy nitride (TiON), aluminum oxy nitride (AlON), titanium silicon oxy nitride (TiSiON), silicon aluminum oxy nitride (SiAlON), titanium silicon oxy nitride (TiSiON), titanium aluminum oxy nitride (TiAlON), chromium aluminum oxy nitride (CrAlON), chromium silicon oxy nitride (CrSiON), or combinations thereof for example. In some embodiments, optional adhesion layers can include TaO, AlO, or YO for example.

Optional adhesion layers can have a substantially homogeneous composition or can have a composition that changes from one major surface (e.g., the surface in contact with a gas barrier layer in a wear resistant adhesion layer) to the opposing major surface (e.g., the surface in contact with the wear resistant layer in a wear resistant adhesion layer). For example, an optional adhesion layer can have a compositional gradient from one major surface to the other major surface. In some embodiments, an optional adhesion layer can have a compositional gradient that can change from the major component being a material that is compatible with (or is even the same as) the gas barrier layer (for example the surface in contact with a gas barrier layer) to the major component being a material that is compatible with (or is even the same as) the wear resistant layer (for example the surface in contact with the wear resistant layer). In some embodiments, an optional adhesion layer can have a compositional gradient such that the material from the gas barrier layer increases in concentration across the adhesion layer from the interface with the wear resistance layer to the interface with the gas barrier layer.

Films or relatively thin (nanometer scale) layers of materials may include pin holes. Pin holes can be detrimental because gases, including reactive gases such as water vapor or other gases can diffuse through pin holes to reach structures underneath the layer having pin holes. Pin holes and the detrimental effects caused thereby can be diminished or even prevented by having a gas barrier layer that includes more than one layer. The addition of a second layer, formed via at least a somewhat separate process, can make it less likely or even ensure that pin holes do not go all the way through the gas barrier layer. In such embodiments, even if both layers have pin holes, it is unlikely that pin holes in the at least two separate layers will align allowing gas to transit across the entire gas barrier layer.

FIG. 4A depicts a cross section of a portion of a device 400 that includes a gas barrier layer 402 positioned between a substrate 401 and a wear resistant layer 403. It should be noted that optional gas barrier layers (e.g., a substrate adhesion layer, a wear resistant adhesion layer, or both) can also be included in the device 400, even though not depicted in this figure. The gas barrier layer 402 includes a first gas barrier bilayer 406 a and a second gas barrier bilayer 406 b. The first gas barrier bilayer 406 a may be of the same or a different material than that of the second gas barrier bilayer 406 b. In some embodiments, the first gas barrier bilayer 406 a can be of a first material and the second gas barrier bilayer 406 b may also be of the first material. In some embodiments, the first gas barrier bilayer 406 a can be of a first material and the second gas barrier bilayer 406 b may be of a second material. The first gas barrier bilayer 406 a and the second gas barrier bilayer 406 b need not, but may have substantially the same thickness. The first gas barrier bilayer 406 a and the second gas barrier bilayer 406 b may also include the same components, but at different amounts.

FIG. 4B depicts a cross section of a portion of a device 410 that includes a gas barrier layer 412 positioned between a substrate 401 and a wear resistant layer 403. It should be noted that optional adhesion layers (e.g., a substrate adhesion layer, a wear resistant adhesion layer, or both) can also be included in the device 410, even though not depicted in this figure. The gas barrier layer 412 includes a plurality of individual bilayers. The particular embodiment depicted includes three sets of bilayers, a first gas barrier bilayer 406 a and a second gas barrier bilayer 406 b, a first gas barrier bilayer 407 a and a second gas barrier bilayer 407 b, and a first gas barrier bilayer 408 a and a second gas barrier bilayer 408 b. Disclosed devices can include any number of sets of bilayers, where a set of bilayers includes two individual bilayers. In some embodiments, disclosed devices can include at least two sets of bilayers, at least three sets of bilayers, at least 8 sets of bilayers, and in some embodiments ten (10) sets of bilayers. In some embodiments, disclosed devices can include not more than 100 sets of bilayers for example.

In some embodiments, a single set of bilayers can include a first bilayer having a first set of properties and a second bilayer having a second set of properties. In some embodiments, a first bilayer can differ from a second bilayer in one or more than one property (e.g., material, compositional gradient, thickness, refractive index, optical absorption, internal stress, density, grain size, crystalline structure, lattice constant, physical properties, chemical properties, or corrosion resistance). In some embodiments each set of bilayers can be positioned in the same way, for example, within each set of bilayers, a first bilayer is positioned closer to the substrate than the second bilayer. The configuration of the sets of bilayers can be described as alternating.

Bilayers that make up a gas barrier layer can be made of materials similar to those discussed above. In some embodiments, the layer that will ultimately be located on top, the layers indicate as “b” in the figures can have better hydrothermal corrosion resistance, better thermal stability, better corrosion resistance, or some combination thereof. In some embodiments, the “a” layers can include, AlO, MgO, BeO, or combinations thereof for example, and the “b” layers can include SiO, YO, CrO, NbO, TaO, HfO, TiO, ZrO, AlSiO, CrAlO, CrSiO, TiSiO, NbSiO, HfSiO, NbSiO, SiON, TiSiON, SiAlO, TiSiO, TiAlO, CrON, CrAlO, CrSiO, CrAlON, CrSiON, SiN, TiN, ZrN, CrN, NbN, TaN, HfN, or combinations thereof for example.

Individual bilayers can have substantially the same thicknesses or different thicknesses. Individual bilayers can have various thicknesses. In some embodiments, individual bilayers can be at least 0.1 nm thick, and in some embodiments individual bilayers can be at least 0.5 nm thick. In some embodiments, individual bilayers can be not greater than 10 nm thick, and in some embodiments individual bilayers can be at least 5 nm.

In some embodiments, gas barrier layers that include bilayers can be made using a process that includes a delay between depositions. A delay between the depositions (whether the materials are made of the same material or different) could further minimize or even prevent the formation of pin holes that traverse the entire span of the gas barrier layer. Incorporation of a time delay during plasma deposition (for example) may function to facilitate re-nucleation of the material of the just deposited bilayer before the next layer is deposited thereon. In some embodiments, a time delay of at least 0.1 seconds can be utilized between deposition steps. In some embodiments, a time delay of not greater than 30 minutes can be utilized between deposition steps.

While the present disclosure is not so limited, an appreciation of various aspects of the disclosure will be gained through a discussion of the examples provided below.

EXAMPLES

The corrosion resistance of a magnetic write pole having TaO coatings deposited thereon using two different deposition methods was investigated using an air isothermal annealing process at 300° C. for different amounts of time. The first coating was a 50 Å TaO film deposited on a magnetic head surface by sputtering from TaO targets in an argon environment. The second coating was a 50 Å TaO film deposited on a magnetic head surface by sputtering from TaO targets in an oxygen rich environment (2 sccm O₂). This coating had a higher oxygen content than the TaO film of the first sample. All heads with the second TaO coating showed pole corrosion after being annealed at 300° C. for about 90 minutes. All heads with the first TaO coating showed pole corrosion after being annealed at 300° C. for about 20 hours. FIG. 5A shows an SEM image of one of the samples of the 50 Å TaO film deposited on a magnetic head surface by sputtering from TaO targets in an argon environment after a 1.5 hour air anneal at 300° C. FIG. 5B shows an SEM image of one of the samples of the 50 Å TaO film deposited on a magnetic head surface by sputtering from TaO targets in an oxygen rich environment (2 sccm O₂) after a 1.5 hour air anneal at 300° C.

The corrosion resistance of magnetic write poles with ion beam deposited (IBD—in an argon environment) SiO and AlO coatings was investigated using an air isothermal annealing process at 300° C. and 350° C. for different amounts of time. Table 1 below shows the five (5) samples tested. The samples were deposited on a substrate having a magnetic write pole (CoFe) formed thereon. Layer 1 was deposited first, followed by layers 2 and 3 if applicable. The TaO layers were deposited using IBD in an argon environment. The DLC was deposited using a filtered cathodic arc (FCA).

TABLE 1 Sample Number Layer 1 Layer 2 Layer 3 1 1 nm TaO 3 nm IBD SiO 1.5 nm DLC 2 1 nm TaO 3 nm IBD AlO 1.5 nm DLC 3 1 nm TaO 3 nm IBD SiO — 4 1 nm TaO 3 nm IBD AlO — 5 5 nm TaO — 1.5 nm DLC

The samples were then annealed at either 300° C. for various times from 10 minutes to 2.5 hours or 350° C. for 10 minutes. Critical dimension scanning electron microscopy (CDSEM) was utilized to evaluate oxidation of the write pole. FIG. 6A shows a SEM image of one of the heads of sample 1; FIG. 6B shows a SEM image of one of the heads of sample 2; FIG. 6C shows a SEM image of one of the heads of sample 3; FIG. 6D shows a SEM image of one of the heads of sample 4; and FIG. 6E shows a SEM image of one of the heads of sample 5. Table 2 below shows the pole oxidation rate as a function of test time.

TABLE 2 300° C. at Failure 300° C. at Failure 300° C. at Failure 300° C. at Failure 350° C. at 10 Failure Sample 10 min mode 30 min mode 1.5 hrs mode 2.5 hrs mode mins mode 1 16.95 Edge 0 0 49.12 Edge 98.25 Edge 2 6.78 Edge 0 0 7.02 Edge 40.35 Edge 3 100 coverage 98 Pitting 100 coverage 4 0 0 0 0 5.263 Edge + pit 5 100 coverage 100 Edge 100 coverage Failure mode “Pitting” indicates that the oxidation occurred uniformly and locally across the entire surface. Failure mode “edge” indicates that the oxidation occurred only at the edges of the pole. Failure mode “coverage” indicates that the entire pole surface was oxidized.

As seen from Table 2, sample 5 showed the worst gas barrier properties. Samples 1, 2, and 4 showed the best gas barrier property. As compared with sample 5, samples 4, 1 and 2 improved the time at which the magnetic pole oxidizes by at least 15 times.

All scientific and technical terms used herein have meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. The definitions provided herein are to facilitate understanding of certain terms used frequently herein and are not meant to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, “top” and “bottom” (or other terms like “upper” and “lower”) are utilized strictly for relative descriptions and do not imply any overall orientation of the article in which the described element is located.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” encompass embodiments having plural referents, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. The term “and/or” means one or all of the listed elements or a combination of any two or more of the listed elements.

As used herein, “have”, “having”, “include”, “including”, “comprise”, “comprising” or the like are used in their open ended sense, and generally mean “including, but not limited to”. It will be understood that “consisting essentially of”, “consisting of”, and the like are subsumed in “comprising” and the like. For example, a conductive trace that “comprises” silver may be a conductive trace that “consists of” silver or that “consists essentially of” silver.

As used herein, “consisting essentially of,” as it relates to a composition, apparatus, system, method or the like, means that the components of the composition, apparatus, system, method or the like are limited to the enumerated components and any other components that do not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the composition, apparatus, system, method or the like.

The words “preferred” and “preferably” refer to embodiments that may afford certain benefits, under certain circumstances. However, other embodiments may also be preferred, under the same or other circumstances. Furthermore, the recitation of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the disclosure, including the claims.

Also herein, the recitations of numerical ranges by endpoints include all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, 5, etc. or 10 or less includes 10, 9.4, 7.6, 5, 4.3, 2.9, 1.62, 0.3, etc.). Where a range of values is “up to” a particular value, that value is included within the range.

Use of “first,” “second,” etc. in the description above and the claims that follow is not intended to necessarily indicate that the enumerated number of objects are present. For example, a “second” substrate is merely intended to differentiate from another infusion device (such as a “first” substrate). Use of “first,” “second,” etc. in the description above and the claims that follow is also not necessarily intended to indicate that one comes earlier in time than the other.

Thus, embodiments of devices including at least one gas barrier layer are disclosed. The implementations described above and other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present disclosure can be practiced with embodiments other than those disclosed. The disclosed embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and not limitation. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device comprising: a near field transducer (NFT); a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer comprises: a) tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (Hf), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; b) silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof; c) silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof; or d) combinations of any of a), b), and c).
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CrO, SiAlO, CrSiO, CrAlO, TaSiO, or combinations thereof.
 3. The device according to claim 1 further comprising at least one adhesion layer.
 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one adhesion layer is disposed between the gas barrier layer and the NFT.
 5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the at least one adhesion layer is disposed between the gas barrier layer and the wear resistance layer.
 6. The device according to claim 1 further comprising a NFT adhesion layer and a wear resistance adhesion layer, wherein the NFT adhesion layer is positioned between the NFT and the gas barrier layer and the wear resistance adhesion layer is positioned between the gas barrier layer and the wear resistance layer.
 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the gas barrier layer has a thickness from about 0.5 nm to about 10 nm.
 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises at least two individual layers.
 9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises at least a first gas barrier bilayer and a second gas barrier bilayer.
 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the at least first gas barrier bilayer has at least one property different from the at least second gas barrier bilayer.
 11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the at least first gas barrier bilayer comprises a first material and the second gas barrier bilayer comprises a second material, and the first and second materials are not the same.
 12. The device according to claim 10, wherein the at least first gas barrier bilayer has a different thickness than the at least second gas barrier bilayer.
 13. The device according to claim 1, wherein the wear resistance layer comprises diamond like carbon (DLC).
 14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises silicon oxy nitride (SiON), aluminum oxy nitride (AlON), titanium oxy nitride (TiON), zirconium oxy nitride (ZrON), chromium oxy nitride (CrON), niobioum oxy nitride (NbON), hafnium oxy nitride (HfON), or combinations thereof.
 15. A device comprising: a near field transducer (NFT); an adhesion layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT; a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the adhesion layer; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer comprises: a) tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (Hf), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; b) silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof; c) silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof; or d) combinations of any of a), b), and c).
 16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the gas barrier layer comprises SiO₂, Al₂O₃, CrO, SiAlO, CrSiO, CrAlO, TaSiO, or combinations thereof.
 17. The device according to claim 15, wherein the gas barrier layer was formed using ion beam deposition.
 18. The device according to claim 15, wherein the gas barrier layer has a thickness from about 0.5 nm to about 10 nm.
 19. The device according to claim 15, wherein the adhesion layer comprises tantalum oxide (TaO).
 20. A device comprising: a magnetic write pole; a near field transducer (NFT) positioned adjacent the magnetic write pole; a gas barrier layer positioned on at least a portion of the NFT and the magnetic write pole; and a wear resistance layer positioned on at least a portion of the gas barrier layer wherein the gas barrier layer comprises: a) tantalum oxide (TaO), titanium oxide (TiO), chromium oxide (CrO), silicon oxide (SiO), aluminum oxide (AlO), titanium oxide (TiO), zirconium oxide (ZrO), yttrium oxide (YO), magnesium oxide (MgO), beryllium oxide (BeO), niobium oxide (NbO), hafnium oxide (Hf), vanadium oxide (VO), strontium oxide (SrO), or combinations thereof; b) silicon nitride (SiN), aluminum nitride (Al), boron nitride (BN), titanium nitride (TiN), zirconium nitride (ZrN), niobioum nitride (NbN), hafnium nitride (HfN), chromium nitride (CrN), or combinations thereof; c) silicon carbide (SiC), titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (ZrC), niobioum carbide (NbC), chromium carbide (CrC), vanadium carbide (VC), boron carbide (BC), or combinations thereof; or d) combinations of any of a), b), and c). 